Keys of the Universe and Keys of the World - Montessori Albums

I'd like to speak on a business-related topic, but as a mom/teacher/catechist/homeschool-mom - not necessarily in that order!


What is the story behind Keys of the Universe and Keys of the World? In a nutshell.....

Keys of the World albums are my AMI primary albums, with very minor modifications; they cover ages 2 1/2-6. Eventually, I would like to fine-tune these albums more specifically for homeschool purposes, but for now, they are pretty much what I created in my AMI Montessori training and are still quite useful for homeschooling purposes. I LOVED this training!

Keys of the Universe albums are my AMI elementary albums; they cover ages 6-12; I created 75% of the current content during training, with the remaining AMI portions filled in afterward. I offer online support for these albums and am currently revamping the certificate of completion requirements for those folks needing certificate. The certificate is not required; and the assignments are only required if you want the certificate (or for your own personal use). The albums themselves are available with or without the certificate.

There are portions that are NOT AMI contributions, but are my own creations specifically to smooth out the album pages or sections in areas where, frankly, AMI is a bit out of touch with reality. For example, one major section I am adding is a separate album just for Astronomy. It will be a thin album, designed to provide the basics and encourage the children in exploring their own interests. This is an area that AMI needs to update - when we have NASA screening candidates to make a 2-year visit to Mars, well... this is ONE area that could be refreshed.

I noted above that I loved my primary training - as much as I loved primary training, I abhorred elementary training at least twice as much. Not because of the content, which was great, but because of the instructors. Because of their verbal and emotional abuse of anyone who thought or lived differently from them. Because they could not accept that perhaps, if Dr. Montessori were alive today, she may have seen some things that even she didn't consider during her lifetime (astronomy for example, but also homeschooling, among others. I don't KNOW what she would have done, but I can rarely accept someone else telling me what she would have said - I do not idolize Maria Montessori - I respect her - therefore I will not pretend to know her mind). More on this last thought in another post.

I *firmly* believe that AMI offers the most foundational and pure Montessori principles of all options available; I firmly believe that AMI offers the best albums available today. They do not provide more than what you should present to most elementary children (there are some things in the math album that can be saved for adolescence if needed, that is the one exception; but only an exception because there are children who get to that work in elementary, thus you have everything you need for potential elementary topics); neither does AMI provide "fluff".
----I have seen albums that don't provide enough even for a framework. I mention to someone a (in my album) crucial exercise to a particular material and I get flabbergasted responses that, "I never knew that was an actual exercise for this work!"
----And albums with inappropriate work: the work extensions that are either not included where they should be, or "fluffy" extensions are included that seem like requirements when they should be marked as a child-thought-of extension (not an adult-directed activity) - another topic altogether ;) Even these extra things can be quite meaty - but if the children should have been guided there rather than having it handed to them... it becomes fluff.


But that does not mean AMI albums are "perfect" - my goal is to make them as homeschool-user-friendly as possible, without compromising one iota of what makes AMI albums so wonderful.


One of the best aspects of AMI Montessori albums? They provide a structure with the minimum amount of knowledge a child must learn, and leaves you with ideas, suggested resources and above all else TIME for the children to explore on their own - this self-exploration being a key point to Montessori education. Children MUST have this time; and albums that try to cram everything in, become quickly outdated, quickly and intensely overwhelming for the parent or teacher trying to cram everything in when some of that "everything" is frankly not even necessary for *every* child; not to mention that we want to entice interest, not dictate it.


Yes we have "assignments" (the work plan, with some teacher-directed work, mostly child-directed work, and some things from the local educational requirements); but we also have flexibility.

If I just present to my son at home the things in my albums, and leave him with time to explore on his own - I have done EVERYTHING I need to do academically.

BUT. I need the theory album to know everything to do - because the subject albums do not contain everything.

And I have room to pull in other resources as HE needs them, because the Montessori Method at the elementary level is very clear that neither the teacher nor the albums should provide everything for the child. We WANT them to explore, not be spoon-fed. Isn't that why we come to Montessori? ;)

So. Theory. Subject albums. Focus on the essentials. Provide TIME.

Recipe for success ;)


These AMI primary and elementary Montessori albums, combined (in our family) with Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and our own personal selection of outside resources has provided wonderful fodder for a rich, sound childhood and family life.

Starting Montessori with a 2 year old

How to start Montessori with a 2 year old is a very popular question.

The Pink Panther at age 2

Regardless if you have been doing infant/toddler Montessori, the child will be transitioning into the primary age somewhere around 2 1/2 and you'll do the same things with the children regardless if they are new to Montessori or have had a Montessori environment already.



For a 2 year old, the best places to start are:

• practical life
• sensorial
• language

Practical life:

You may or may not want an album right away for the Exercises of Practical Life. If you do, look for the following in the table of contents: preliminary, care of self, visual art, control of movement (walking on the line and the silence game), grace and courtesy, care of the environment. Interspersed are skills for food preparation, care of animals, etc.
Otherwise, just consider those areas and apply them to YOUR practical life :)

Introduce a new activity every couple of days in a variety of areas. These materials do not have to be fancy (ie learning to button might be a vest or jacket with large buttons, hung on a hanger such that it faces out towards the child - work with it on the hanger, or lay it on the floor or a low table to work with; teach the skill of hanging hangers on the rack; shaking out small rugs (we have a rug in our home where shoes are placed when we come in - a small child can easily take that outside and shake it out - even take some muddy shoes and knock them together outside to get mud off)).

The main thing in practical life is: keep it REAL. You might have a few trays of sample skills to practice, but keep the it REAL. A real banana to slice (not a wooden one with velcro - this can be kept in the toy area); real dishes to place on the table.

And you want to have practical life practice areas in their appropriate areas - in a classroom there is an EPL area; in the home, it is nicer to keep food in the kitchen; laundry folding where YOU do laundry folding; etc).


Sensorial: think textures, colors, sounds, etc. A good sensorial album for the primary age is good to get for age 2 1/2 and older - the very beginning work with the pink tower, color tablets, etc. can start with the 2 year old, but will also contain extensions for 5 and 6 year olds (see if you can check that part before making a purchase). The sensorial album should also include beginning music activities, so check for those in the table of contents.


Language: you want to work on real vocabulary and sound awareness. So you'll play sound games, listening for sounds at the start of words, end of words, and eventually the middle of words; play games like I Spy or very similar with objects around the room, the house, the yard, etc. First you will give the language in a 3 period lesson ( 1) give the name of 3 items 2) play games with asking the child to touch, move, hide under, hide it behind his back, etc. 3) when period 2 is successful (might be that day, at that sitting; might be another time), point to the object and say "What is this?" if period 2 is not successful, point to each object and say it's name - and be done for that sitting - come back to it later).

A language album is not necessary until age 3, but if you get one, be sure it lays a SOLID foundation of the sound games and spoken vocabulary building. The spoken language portion of the album is ALL you will need until age 3 1/2; then you will start introducing the sandpaper letters, etc.


If you start just those things at age 2, you will be laying a very strong foundation.

In the meantime, pick up a primary level theory album and Montessori's books for your own reading pleasure and to fully prepare for the primary ages of 3-6 :)

The not so Pink Panther;
with clean bed and wall behind him

BC AD Timeline - some thoughts

As I was preparing a new BC AD timeline I had a few random thoughts - entirely random!

Making it: 

More images to come! 

• This timeline is VERY SIMPLE. And should be kept that way so that is remains multi-purpose. I have seen several fancy (and therefore expensive or trickier to make) versions available. Bleck. Keep it simple! It can be made WHILE you are presenting for the first time! Measure out your white strip (ribbon, receipt tape, strips of white paper that you tape together as you go (this last idea would be the easiest for measuring if you are making it while presenting)). Start in the middle with the life of Christ. The year Zero is placed written in red - but see note below on color options. Make a vertical line above and below the zero. 
• Now we start marking an inch back (or two inches back or whatever distance you ultimately want) for the first century before Christ. Mark the same length ahead for the first century after Christ. These are black vertical lines broken only by the number in the middle - 100, 200, etc. (choose if you want to have BC/AD repeated on each one but usually this would be a NO - too much of a crutch for the children). 
• Continue with the second century before and the second century after. You are drawing vertical lines down to mark each century equal distance from the one you made before it. 
• Ultimately we are going back the same length of time as we come forward, so that the timeline is balanced. 
• Then go back to the red/gold zero - write in BC and AD in their appropriate places and explain what they mean.  

Modifying it: 

• The 0 is the only writing in red because this is the hinge point. All other years are in black. BUT if you are making this material within a setting (homeschool or school) that is somehow connected with CGS atrium experience, I would consider writing the BC numbers in red; the 0 in gold; and the AD numbers in green (to coordinate with the Books of the Bible presentation of Old Testament and New Testament). 
• Or if you are only loosely connected or not at all connected but are a family of Christian faith, then BC numbers could be purple (preparing for Christ), 0 in gold, and AD in green for the growth of Christ's light throughout the world since His resurrection. 
• In the spaces thus created you could add "1st Century", "2nd Century", etc. I still would not add the "before Christ" or "after Christ" on the writing but would add that phrase in the SAYING. We want the visual to have the most power. 
• ONE POSSIBLE ADDITION to the material that is actually quite useful: Adding in the Roman Numerals to represent the centuries (perhaps in place of the words "1st Century" etc from above). Alternatively, this could be a separate strip created to lay below the BC/AD timeline in coordinating length and segments (it too could be created while presenting). Second alternative: these could be on small cards that fit onto the original timeline and the children sort them out accordingly. (or combine both alternatives - set of cards to place and a second timeline to roll out to check their work)

Presenting it: 

• If a child has been in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium, this timeline could come much earlier. They have had experiences from a different angle - that of focusing on the life of Christ (the moment of Redemption) then extending out to the moments of Creation and Parousia. To a child with solid level 2 atrium experience, I would give this work at the middle or end of year 1. I wish I'd made that connection with my son already ;) 
• This effect is possible with Godly Play but there are no timelines in Godly Play, so while the stories would fit into place on the BC/AD timeline, the visual hasn't already been there - this would be their first visual of it. 
• It is ok to create this material while presenting it. Invite the child to make their own if you are in a co-op situation - they can take it home and expand upon it there. 

Follow-ups to the BC/AD Timeline will depend on the age and experience of the child: 

• If you have story cards for pretty much anything (from the Montessori presentations, Godly Play, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Bible stories, world history stories, etc, etc) place them on the timeline in about the time they happened. See where things fall.
• Do some mathematics word problems. How many years between 200 AD and 500 BC. If a building were started in 320 BC, could it have been completed *before* 350 BC? Older children get more detailed, with numbers more closely matching - trickier; younger children make it more obvious. Come back to it every year and expand. 
• Upper elementary: This timeline and 99% of American society is based on this concept centering around the life of Christ. Now with older children explore other timelines with different resulting years - Chinese calendar, Jewish Calendar, Mayan Calendar, etc. What are their calendars centered around? Do they have a "before" anything aspect?
• Sometime between 2nd and 5th year: explore the calendar updates - what changed in the AD portion that forced us to "lose" days - sometimes MONTHS depending on our location. 
• This leads back into calendar study of course but gives it another perspective. 
• Introduce CE and BCE (Common Era and Before Common Era) and the reasons why this notation was introduced. 
• Be sure to emphasize there was life and history before the first timeline actually shown on the timeline, we are just showing here where our time markings came from. 
• Work with the Roman Numerals as noted above. 

And yes this very simple timeline should be visited every year, with some sort of follow-up or discussion or word problem set with it. 

Etymology - and Dictionaries

Our family has not yet found the all-time personal favorite in etymological dictionaries, but that does not slow the love of learning the origin of words!

Just ask any boy to study the history of the word 'toilet' - he'll be so disappointed (but have fun along the way!). Or what about calling it a 'john'? In this area, we can actually let our boys have a bit of "potty-talk" and work it out of their systems!

Then connect those words to modern usage in a variety of languages: toilet in our language; eau de toilette in the French. The French call the bathroom a WC (water closet - an English phrase - but why "water closet" to begin with?) while the British use a French term.... I'm not giving any more hints ;)


Amazon Affiliate Link to Etymological Dictionaries

A quick glance at that list reveals MANY options. You can even study Hebrew etymology in the Bible (fascinating even for non-Christians - what does the Bible really say?).

The best bet for finding one your family or classroom will like and use is to go to a bookstore and actually flip through them. Look for words you may have concerns regarding, especially considering lower elementary children. What will entice your children?

In the end, you may find yourself purchasing 2 or 3 to provide a variety of viewpoints and styles, or even ages.


What are you looking for?

• usability
• readability
• suitable maturity level (some are meant for adults; some are actually intended for immature older people)
• balanced viewpoint
• provides language origin (and trace if the word jumped through languages), part of speech, and description
• illustrations are less important, but nice to have for certain clarifications
• cite their sources (sadly, many are missing this - so one wonders if the book can be trusted - remember, we want the children to go to original sources as much as possible, so they need to see the trail back to the source whenever possible)

AMI Albums - Framework vs. Every Detail

I am asked a LOT why AMI albums don't seem to have as much information as, let's say, the NAMC albums. And why would I choose the "stripped-down" version for our homeschool when my son obviously craves to learn SO MUCH.

All those impressionistic charts - and timelines
INSPIRING! 

Well.... admittedly, it was not at first a conscious decision. However, I can say this: my sons craves to learn so much because *I* do not give him every detail. Because our albums are *not* the only source of information. He cannot learn all that he wants or need from me - and he doesn't even need me (or my albums) to tell him what to study next and at what age. If I knew back when, what I know now, I would saved so much headache reviewing other albums!

Mathematics and Language are closer to what people expect with lots of details. Language does not include "writing assignments" as much as guidance on setting up an environment (both physical and psychological) that integrates writing into all components of the child's day and provides guidelines for what to look for at which ages. I love the follow-up on one album page to write a paragraph in active voice, then re-write it in passive voice. But that is a follow-up - not the main presentation - and should be an inspiration to the child, not a mundane exercise.

History and Geography though - these are frameworks - and they continue to cycle back around on each other so that new studies are done every year, prompted by the child's interconnected interests and the adults continued presentations of "tidbits" here and there to spurn that interest on. I give the presentations, using an enticing voice; then I provide the necessary materials for repetition, exploration and research, and away soars my son's imagination! He ends up learning everything this is set up as "required" in other Montessori albums, with the complete freedom to go DEEP.

He is years ahead on some topics; right on par on some; and "behind" the guidelines in others.

And that is exactly where he needs to be right NOW! :)

Provide the right environment, provide the right support, and don't waste a child's time with something that he is likely to study on his own next month, but with the benefit of it being connected with his own most recent studies.